Wednesday 21 September 2016

Petula Clark - From Now On, album review

Rug Again

Three years ago I reviewed Petula Clark's album Lost in You, and I now review her latest From Now On, so apologies to Incredulity Spotters for pulling the rug.

Three years ago I basically waxed lyrical about Clark's seminal pop hit Downtown that I still love for what it is and memories of listening to it way back then. I also made a passing comment to how after a few fine opening pop songs on the album, it did morph into Eurovision fare with an anticipation that Petula would be representing the UK at the next meeting. Well, that year it was Bonnie Tyler. Another from a past musical ascension, but not as far back as Petula's zenith.

Yesterday I was listening to another Clark great, Don't Sleep in the Subway. Obviously, these albums exist on that past brilliant pop success. Of the two, this is better throughout. There is an eclectic range of covers, for example the Beatles' Blackbird and Peggy Lee's Fever. The successes on this album are all down to the production, and it is polished as in the part-electronica of Sincerely, or take the opening elaborate choral work with organ on Steve Winwood's While You See a Chance, though after this it is a little twee. But I'm sure plenty will like this, and rightly so. Easy listening. So what.

But it may be some time before I return. However, I could listen to Downtown and Don't Sleep in the Subway every day and that deserves whatever repeats Petula wants to engage in after all these years.

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